Happy Hanukkah Zim
by Ztarlight
Summary: This is a fanfic that I dedicate to my good friend CryingChild. Want a summary? Zim celebrates Hanukkah to fit in with humans, and eventually learns the true meaning behind the holiday. 12/17 - Final chapter has been posted!!!!
1. Default Chapter

(Hiya, all! ^-^ I wish to dedicate this fic to my good friend CryingChild, as I've recently found out she was Jewish, and present this to her as a "Thank You"  
for being a real pal over the last few months. ::waves at CryingChild:: THANK YOOOOOOO!!!! And another big THANK YOOOOO goes out to my pal  
MiracleChick for her help with this fic. Anyway, I'm going to post this one chapter a day, so I don't leave you hanging TOO long, and at the same time I  
can respect the Hanukkah tradition of one gift a night. ^-^ This fic is my present to you all!! Have a Happy Hanukkah!!  
  
  
  
Happy Hanukkah, Zim  
Chapter One  
  
  
It was another typical day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing...  
  
...And Zim was being dragged along by Gir's leash at 100 miles an hour.  
  
"..aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"Wee-hee-hee!! Isn't this fun, Master?"  
  
"NO! It is NOT fun! Gir, stop! I command you to stop!!"  
  
Gir's eyes flashed red underneath his costume as he skidded to halt. "Yes, my Master!" he cried as Zim went flying.  
  
Zim stood up shakily, carefully adjusting his wig. "Uh, thanks, I guess." he told Gir.  
  
But Gir wasn't paying attention. The tiny green puppy had caught something of appeal in the window of a dollar store they had just passed, and stood   
staring at it.  
  
Zim growled. "I just bought your disgusting tacos!!"  
  
Gir shook his head and continued to stare.  
  
"That's ENOUGH, Gir! It's time to go home!!" Zim wrapped his fingers aroung the tiny puppy's waist and pulled...  
  
...and pulled...  
  
...and pulled...  
  
...and pulled...  
  
And he still wouldn't budge. Not even the Scary Monkey Show could hold him like that. Zim had to wonder... *what* could be holding Gir's attention like   
that? He made his way to the window and looked up.  
  
Hanging from the top of the display in the window was a beautiful reflecting six-pointed star. It hung like a real star in the night, catching the beauty of any  
real celestial wonder the night could behold. The sun's ray became trapped in its aura, and in return, offered a shimmering rainbow display to any eye  
that wandered by. Gir sighed happily. "It's so pretty..."  
  
Zim scofffed. "It's a piece of cardboard wrapped in tin foil."  
  
"It's still pretty..." Gir smiled. He turned to Zim. "CanIgetonecanIcanIhuhhuhpleasepleasepleaseMastercanIgetoneIreallyreallywantone!!!"  
  
Zim blinked as he tried to comprehend what Gir said. "No Gir, you cannot get a star."  
  
"But I really want one!!"  
  
"No, Gir."  
  
"... please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Grr... no!"  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE---"  
  
"ALRIGHT, I WILL BUY YOU A STAR!!!" Zim panted heavily. "Is that better?"  
  
Gir noddled and ran into the store.  
  
Zim followed, sighing. "I don't know *what* he sees in these human decorations..." he took the start from Gir and looked it over. "...Though... I guess it   
*is* kinda nice... for a dollar, anyway." He took it up to the register and placed it on the counter.  
  
The man behind the register smiled. "Why, good afternoon, young fellow." He held up the object. "A Star of David, eh?" He chuckled softly. "So, you   
celebrate Hankkah?"  
  
Zim looked up with interest. "Hanuk--- why, yes! Yes, of course! I love Hanukkah." He smiled his cute little Irken smile to make a point.  
  
"That's nice." He rang up the item and bagged it. "There you are. Have a nice holiday."  
  
"Uh, sure." Zim tossed the money onto the counter and grabbed the bag. Scooping up Gir, he ran outside.  
  
Gir escaped from Zim's grasp and grabbed his star from the bag. "SHINY!!" he cried, cuddling it.  
  
"Hanukkah..." Zim said slowly, carefully pronouncing the word, "hah-nuh-kah... why haven't I heard of that before?" Zim searched his mind for an answer;.  
"The humans must be trying to trick me! They think I won't be able to celebrate this 'Hanukkah'. Well, guess what, HYU-MANS, I'm going to be the best  
Hanukkuh-er this Hanukkah season has ever seen!" And with that he ran to his lab to research.  
  
  
  
Zim scrolled the screen down and continued to read. " 'Hanukkah is celabrated to mark the reconsecreation of the Temple of Jersulem after its recapture  
from the Syrian Greeks. When the temple was recaptured, there was only enough oil to burn for one night. A miracle occured, and the oil burned for the  
eight days needed to acuire more.' " Zim sat back in his chair and nodded. "Fascinating. But... computer, locate files on how to celebrate Hanukkah."  
  
The computer blipped, and a new screen came up. Gir walked over, enthralled by the the illustrations. "Ooooooo, pictures!!"  
  
"Hush, Gir. I need to study these." Zim scrolled the screen. More pictures, but words as well. "Alrighty then... 'Hanukkah is also know as the "Festival of   
Lights", in the fact that eight candles are lit one day at a time to commorate the eight days of burning oil. Games are played, such as the dreidel.' " Zim  
looked the picture of the dreidel over. There were strange marking on the side, ones that he couldn't read. "Hmm... maybe I'll skip the 'dray-dell", but the  
candle thing sounds good!"  
  
" 'At the candle lighting ceremony each night, yarmulkes are worn and a prayer is said. Afterward, family members exchange gifts.' "  
  
Gir looked up. "Gifts...?"  
  
"Presents, Gir."  
  
"I know..." (But what can I get Master?)  
  
" 'The first night, gelt is given out.' Gelt... looks like those revolting chocolate candies I've seen around. 'This year, it begins at sundown on the..." Zim   
looked at the human calendar, "AHH!! IT'S TODAY!!" He hopped down from his chair. "I'm going back to the store, Gir. I need a few more supplies."  
  
Gir nodded. "Okay, have fun!!"  
  
"Er... right." Zim took the elevator upstairs, put on his disguise, and headed out on his way.  
  
Back at the Dollar Store, Zim searched the shelves. He needed something that would be easy to find, and at the same time, capture Gir's interest. He  
walked down the side aisle by the window... and spotted another Star of David.  
  
"Hmm... well, he already has one, but I'm sure another one won't harm him any." He pulled one off the shelf. "Now... what else do they have?" He glanced   
at the paper in his hand. "I'll need a 'men-or-ah', and those gelt thingies... and candles! Mustn't forget the candles!!" He hurried around, wanting to get all  
his supplies before night fell.   
  
"Here are the 'yah-muh-kahs'." He examimned the contents. "They look kinda cheap, but I guess they'll have to do. Let's see... one of these, a pack of  
these, some of this, okay!" Victorious, Zim marched up to the counter and tossed up the star, the menorah, a candle packet, two yarmulkes, and a bag   
of gelt onto it.  
  
The woman there, looking very bored, rang up the items. "That'll be $4.24," she answered in monotone.  
  
"Whatever," Zim said, throwing a five onto the counter and rushing out the door.  
  
"Have a nice day," the lady said to no one and went back to her magazine.  
  
Zim ran faster and faster, his breath coming in shorter gasps with each as he headed home. The sun was begining to set, and he needed to get   
everything perfectly set up! He literally *threw* himself through the door of his base and grabbed the menorah and the candles from the bag.  
  
"Okay, you..." he grabbed the menorah, "go *here*!" He set it down on the windowsill. "Now... as for *you*..." Zim pwned the candle and put them in their  
respective places. "Alright..."   
  
Pulling an awesome-looking device from his backpod, Zim held the tip of the wick of the main candle at gunpoint, and oulled the trigger *slightly*. A tiny  
spark shot out, and the tallest candle began to glow brightly. "There... that's the Shamish." He pulled the Shamish from its holder and held the tip over   
another candle. It soon caught the flame, and two snow-white candles lit up the room. "Perfect," Zim observed.  
  
Gir ran into the living room, holding a box behind him. "Ooo, pretty light!!"  
  
"Now don't touch it, Gir."  
  
"I won't. Can I look?"  
  
"In a moment. Put this on." Zim handed Gir a yarmulke.  
  
"Oooooo, a hat!" He smiled and put it over his antannae and started to dance.  
  
"GIR! PAY ATTENTION!!"  
  
Gir snapped upright.  
  
"Now, kneel in front of the menorah, like me," Gir mimicked Zim's pose, "Good. Lower your head, and listen." Zim took a breath and spoke a prayer:  
  
Gir was silent for a moment. "Can I look at the candles now?  
  
"Look, yes, looking is fine." He sat next to Gir on the couch and stared at the candles for a while.  
  
Thirty seconds later, Gir's attention span ran out. He held the box in Zim's face. "I got you a pwesent!"  
  
"Eh...?" Zim muttered, clearly surprised. "Well, I... got you one, too." He reached into the bag behind him and pulled out another star.  
  
Gir eyes filled with glee. "A... star..." he whispered in awe. "It matches with the other one...! Now my star has a new friend!! Thanks, Master!!" He grabbed  
the box. "This is for you."  
  
"Okay..." Zim opened the box and dug through it, wondering what he would find. A neuron-gyrater? A hyper-scope?  
  
Nope.  
  
Zim found a pig.  
  
"Isn't it cute?" Gir prodded.   
  
Zim throught carefully before choosing his words. "Yes, Gir, it's...very cute. Just adorable."  
  
Gir cheered and started to dance with his star. "YAY!! He likes it, he likes it! Did'ya hear that, New Star? Master likes his present!! C'mon, you gotta meet  
your buddy!" Gir dissapered into the lab.  
  
Zim sighed and leaned back into the cushions. He felt the gelt in the bag behind him. Shoot! He had forgotten to give it to Gir. Oh, well. "I could just leave it  
out where he'll find it." He turned his attention back ot the menorah. Watching it flicker against the night was so... relaxing. It helped him think.  
  
"A pig..." Of all things, a pig. "Well, it's not like I'm in it for the gifts anyway." Zim took one last look at the candles and headed downstairs for the night.  
  
  
_________________  
You like? You no like? You want more? Well, tomorrow's another day. G'night all! 


	2. Day Two

Happy Hanukkah Zim  
Chapter Two: Day Two  
  
  
Zim glanced up and sighed.  
  
"Well, here it is... the Krazy Taco." Zim stared at the door, contemplating wether or not he should go in. "I guess I'll have to... after all, I need to purchase  
SOMEthing for Gir... and this happened to be the only thing I could think of on short notice." Sighing, he walked through the door.  
  
Oh, how he wished he hadn't.  
  
Inside the Krazy Taco was the most disgusting sight he had ever seen. Okay, that pile of garbage overloading the trashcan was pretty nasty as well, but  
Zim had never expected to find Dib here.  
  
"Why, hello, *Zim*," Dib greeted.  
  
Zim shoved him aside. "I'm not in the mood for this, Dib."  
  
Dib raised an eyebrow in question. "Really? What *are* you in the mood for then?"  
  
"I'm in the mood to make my purchases and get home before sundown!" Zim walked up and quickly placed his order.  
  
Dib was intrigued by this. "Sundown, eh...? What's the matter, *Zim*? Gotta get home before you mutate into some super alien?"  
  
Zim was growing irritated. "NO! I need to get to my house to give my dog his food before the sun goes down so I can light the candles!!" He grabbed the   
bag of tacos and bolted.  
  
Dib frowned. "Candles? Whey would Zim need candles?  
  
  
  
Zim hurried back to his base. "Oh, I *knew* I should've gone there sooner! Tomorrow when I go out, I'll be sure to leave earlier, so I won't have to make   
such a crucial deadline!!" Panting, he ran harder down the road.  
  
At long last, home came into view. Zim dashed inside and held the bag behind his back so Gir couldn't see it. The tacos were still warm; that would make   
Gir happy.  
  
Glancing out the window, Zim noticed that the sun still had a few minutes in the sky. Sighing with relief, he prepared the Shamish for its next lighting. "Gir!  
It's time!!"  
  
"Yay!" chirped a voice. The tiny andriod squeaked out a few seconds later, holding something behind his back.  
  
"Okay, Gir..." Zim set the Shamish wick into flame, and drifted it over to a second candle. "There... three lovely lights to warm the window with."  
  
Gir nodded and sighed at the candles.  
  
"Well, what are you waitong for? Get your yarmulke!!"  
  
Gir squealed. "Ahh!! My hat! I forgot my ha-a-a-a-at!!"  
  
Zim sighed. "It's not a hat, Gir. Will you quit calling it that?"  
  
"But it goes on my head like a hat!!" called a voice from another room.  
  
"Whatever," Zim muttered as Gir came running out.  
  
"Here here here!!" Gir sang and held out Zim's yarmulke.  
  
Zim took it and put it on. "You know the drill, Gir..."  
  
"Does he want a hat, too?"  
  
"Not the tool drill!! The prayer!!"  
  
"Why didn't you say so?" Gir shifted his legs and knelt. Zim knelt down beside him and softly spoke the nightly prayer.  
  
"Okay now..." Zim pulled out the bag. "For you, Gir."  
  
Gir eyes grew wide. He forgot about Zim's gift, and whatever he had been holding fell to the ground and cracked.  
  
"Gir, what was that?"  
  
Gir turned around and saw a black cartridge cracked down the middle. "AHHHHHHHHH!!! IT BROKE!!!"  
  
"What *was* it?"  
  
" ::sniffle:: It was a collection of... ::sniff:: Scary Monkey Show episodes that I ::sniff:: wanted you to have..."  
  
Zim picked up the tape. "Uh, well... don't worry about it, Gir. It's the... thought that counts... I guess." Zim set the tape on the bookshelf. "I'll fix it later, okay?"  
  
That cheered him up. "Okay!" He swallowed his tacos in one bite and headed to play with his stars.  
  
Zim sighed again. "Scary Monkey Show... of all things---" he stopped. "Well... I'm only doing this to act normal. It's... not like I really expected anything from  
him in the first place."   
  
(Then why do I feel so... disapointed?) "ARGH!! It's just a stinking human holiday! I shouldn't care if I get anything out of it!" Zim hopped up and marched   
to the window. "The only thing *I* desire is getting closer to my goal of ruling this spinning ball of mud!!" Too frustrated to think straight, Zim huffed as he   
made his way downstairs to sleep. 


	3. Day Three

Happy Hanukkah Zim  
Chapter Three: Day Three  
  
  
Zim ran a mental checklist of all the tings that Gir liked. "I got him a star, and those taco... *things*..." he spat out with disgust. "Wait... what about his  
horrible cupcakes? Yes, I'll just walk to the store and buy some cupcakes for him. Perfect."  
  
Zim walked into the local supermarket. There he found some pre-made cupcakes, and ended up wandering. "Hmm... he also has a fondness for tuna...  
maybe I can ourchase both now, to prevent me from having to go out tomorrow."  
  
It was a good enough plan, but Zim wasn't alone in the store.  
  
A figure creeped up beind him. "Good... he doesn't know I'm here." [I don't have to tell you who this is, do I?]  
  
Zim dropped two cans of tuna fish into his cart. "These are even more repulsive than the other things he had, but... I can't let anyone fond out the truth!"  
  
"You mean besides me?"  
  
Zim nearly dropped his cart. Slowly, he turned around. "AH! Dang it, Dib, would you quit following me around?!"  
  
"Nope." Dib smiled smugly. "I know you're up to something, and I'm not going to rest until I find out what."  
  
Zim was quickly growing annoyed. "Fool! Don't you even know your own measly holiday?!"  
  
"What are you talk---"  
  
"The Hanukkah! I celebrating your Hanukkah! Nothing more, just a nice, quiet, simple, HUMAN observation of your beloved holiday. NOW GO AWAY!"  
Zim ran past Dib to the register, knocking the paranormal investigator-in-training to the white tiled floor.  
  
Dib propped himself up on his elbows. "Hanukkah? Zim is celebrating Hanukkah?! *That's* certainly unexpected..."  
  
  
  
"Gir, I'm home!"  
  
No sound. (He must have gone out again...) Sighing, Zim went to the kitchen to put the cupcakes away until later. He stopped abutply at the doorway.  
  
The kitchen looked like a candy-war zone. Chocolate pudding mix was everywhere - on the table, the floor, and hanging off the ceiling! Wrappers littered  
the room, glued to the walls in various places by cake batter. Zim walked around slowly, observing the mess to its fullest.  
  
/click, click, click, SPLAT!/  
  
"Splat? My footsteps do not go splat. I wond---AHH!!" Zim reeled back. There was a huge gob of vanilla frosting, seperated in enough spots to make it  
look like a message had been inscribed into it - or like someone had tried to, anyway. Zim squinted his eyes and managed to make out the following  
words:  
  
+mastr,+  
+left 2 by moor fooood. b bak latr.+  
+luv, GIR+  
  
"Well, at least he left a note... sort of..." Zim sighed at the sight before him. "Computer, initiate cleansing process of house room 003." The computer   
beeped in response, and the arms full of cleaning supplies began to do their work. Within minutes, the kitchen was sparkling.  
  
"That's better..." Zim turned around and looked out the window. "Ah! The sun... leaving already?! But... Gir's not home yet!!"  
  
As if on cue, the door swung open. "HIIIIIIII!!!" the green puppy chirped. [A/N: Cliched? Yes. But funny, no? o.0]  
  
"Gir, where on Earth were you?!"  
  
"I played with Pig!!"  
  
Zim growled. Then he sighed in defeat. Yelling at Gir got him nowhere. "Listen up, Gir. You need to be here during the day. If you go out, set the bases  
defenses to automatic first, and then you NEED to be home before the sun goes down."  
  
Gir looked around. "Oh, you mean like right now?"  
  
Zim gasped. "The Shamish!!" He reached for the tallest candle, still burning strong. "Okay... here..." He lifted the Shamish over to the next candle for   
lighting. The third candle lighting was successful, and he stepped back to admire his work. "You know Gir, for a human device, it looks rather elegant."  
  
"Yeah...." Gir cooed.  
  
Zim closed his eyes. This fire brought back so many happy memories from Irk. He remembered the Great Assigning for Operation: Impending Doom I,  
on Conventia long ago... the Tallest looked so proud that day. The stood tall, and happy, as they surveyed their newest elite... the young soldiers around  
them, eagerly waiting an assignment. It was like the menorah... the Shamish candle stood so much taller then the rest, watching over them until they were  
picked for lighting. What a day...  
  
Back into reality, Zim wandered into the kitchen and returned with the yarmulkes. "Alright, Gir."  
  
"Yay!! I get my hat back!!"  
  
Zim interlaced his fingers and fashioned his lips into the nightly prayer. That finished, he took the yarmulke from Gir and retrieved his present. "Uhm...   
Happy Third Day of Hanukkah, Gir."  
  
Gir eyes grew wide. "Ohhhhhhh... my favorite kind..."  
  
"Gir, it's a variety pack."  
  
"I know..." Gir sniffled, "That's why it's so good... I LOVE YOU!!" He tossed away the package and attatched himself to Zim's head.  
  
"Ahhh!!" Zim yelped in surprise. "Gir, would you mind releasing my head?"  
  
"Okie-dokie." Gir climbed down and ran outside.  
  
"Gir, what are you doing? Put your disguise on!!"  
  
"No, it's okay Master. It;s right... HERE!" Gir tugged hard on something in the dark and fell onto his back. "Ugh... here." He held several black, shiny disks  
out to Zim. The he skipped away.  
  
Zim watched Gir dance off, then loked at what he had been given. "Rocks... he got me rocks..." He bit his lip, trying to see a bright side as to not make   
Gir feel bad. "Uhm, they'll look nice in front of the gnomes... yes! That's it. rocks for the gnomes. I'll... pout them there in the morning." Zim tossed the  
stones into the night and shut the door, ignoring the screeching of tires he heard a few seconds later.  
  
Gir was busy polishing off the remaints of his cupcakes. "Yum..." he whirred, licking the bottom of the plastic container. "I like Hanukkah..."  
  
Zim groaned. (He finished it ALREADY?!) "Gir, if you keep eating like that, you'll turn into a cupcake."  
  
"I will?! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Zim sighed. "I still don't understand what this... 'Hanukkah' supposed to mean but..." He stopped as a thought popped into his mind. "Maybe I should  
reasearch it some more." And he went to his lab to do just that.  
  
  
____________________  
Ooo, spooky. What could Zim's thought be, eh? Welp, I'm not gonna tell you until tomorrow. Why? Because I can.  
  
CryingChild: NOOOO!! Ztarlight's been brainwashed by Nick!! ::crams anti-Nick petitions into Ztarlight's head::  
  
Ztarlight: ::shakes head:: Whew... thanx.  
  
CryingChild: You're welcome. You know, there's a lot of room in there...  
  
Ztarlight: Hey! Do you want me to continue this or not?!  
  
CryingChild: I being quiet now...  
  
::silence::  
  
CryingChild: You know, I was just being honest.  
  
Ztarlight: I hate it when other people are right... 


	4. Day Four

Happy Haunkkah Zim  
Chapter Four: Day Four  
  
  
"It's another new day..." Zim sighed as he awoke. "I need to find another gift for Gir." He fluffed up his pillows and groaned. "I'd rather not attend skool  
today.... on the other hand, I've missed quite a few days this year already." Stretching, he climbed out of bed. "I guess I should--- huh?"  
  
He ran to the window. Outside, millions of tiny white cyrstals were falling from the sky. Zim watched them float past his window. The looked a lot like  
the clouds.... were they tiny clouds? Oh, no! "AHHHH!!!! the sky is falling!! Gir!!" Zim bolted downstairs in his red pajamas. "Gir!! The sky! It's crashing  
down on us!!"  
  
But Gir was nowhere to be seen. A clamor of noise outside alerted him to an intruder. Activating the cameras, he found a green puppy rolling around  
in the cloud particles. "Gir!" Zim cried through the mike. "Get back in here, you'll get crushed!!"  
  
Gir sat up with interest. Lighty he caught a few cloud pieces. "No, it's not very heavy."  
  
"GIR! I ORDER YOU TO GET INSIDE!!!"  
  
Gir hopped up, saluted, and flew through the mail slot only to crash into Zim. "Come play in the snow, Master!!"  
  
" 'Snow'? Is that what these slimeballs call it?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"And it falls from the sky?"  
  
"I guess so."  
  
Zim thought for a moment. "This can't be good. If this 'snow' is anything like rain..." he hurried to the lab. "I'll be in my lab, bathing in paste. Prepare my  
disguise for me; we're going out."  
  
"Yay!" Gir cheered and set off for the wig and contacts.  
  
"What do I get for him today? Wait... there is that tuna I bought yesterday, but... no, somehow I don't think I should give it to him yet." He sighed. "I   
guess it's back to the Dollar Store."  
  
  
  
"C'mon, Gir!"  
  
"But I wanna play in the snow."  
  
"You'll have plenty of time to play in it later." Zim gave Gir's leash another tug. "I need to buy your mext present before sundown."  
  
"Heads up, ZIM!"  
  
"Wha--- UGH!!" Zim fell headfirst into the snow.  
  
Beind him, he could hear the Dib laughing. "How does the snow feel, *Zim*?"  
  
Zim stood, his back against Dib. He smiled evilly. (So that's the way he wants to play, huh? Well, TWO can play at that!) Zim grabbed a handful of snow.  
"It feels like... *THIS*!!" And with that Zim jammed the snow down the back of Dib's shirt.  
  
Dib yelped in surprise, and started screaming his lungs out. It was Zim's turn to laugh. "See Dib? You'll never learn, which is why you'll never win."  
  
"We'll see about that. Nyah!!" Dib launched another ice projectile at the Irken. Zim jumped outof the way and retaliated. A snowball war was in session.  
It kept on for nearly two hours, both ignoring the pain the snow was giving them.  
  
At long last, Zim's paste coating was begining to wear thin, and Dib was covered in bruises. "W-what do you say we... we call a t-truce, Zim..." Dib panted.  
  
Zim groaned from the stinging. "Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't DARE agree to a truce with ANYone... but seeing as this battle is going nowhere,  
I, too, place out a 'white flag' as you people say."  
  
Dib nodded and ran home. Zim walked to his house to re-apply his paste. "But Master," Gir whined, "I wanna go to the store!"  
  
"We will, as long as there are no other distraction along the way this time." Zim answered. "Now let's go."  
  
"Yay!" Gir scampered out the door. [Scampered... that's such a cute word... ^-^]  
  
"Okay, Gir let's see... what store was it?"  
  
"This one!!" Gir pressed his face to a window. "The stars live here!!"  
  
"Uh, yes, they do. Now, can we go in?"  
  
Gir noddled and scampered inside. [^-^]  
  
Zim walked into the store. There were a few more shoppers than the last time he was here. He browsed the aisles, letting Gir walk on his own for a while,  
until he found a basked full of stuffed snowmen. Zim curiously picked one up and looked it over. It was soft, didn't make any noise. and was... kinda cute,  
actually. He decided to get that for Gir.  
  
At the counter, Zim saw the same man that was there a few days ago. He seemed to recognize the young Invader as well. "Hello there, young man. How  
is your Hanukkah celabration going?"   
  
"Fine. It's going fine." Zim put the plushie up on the counter.  
  
The man smiled. "Is this everything?"  
  
Zim nodded. "That's all for today."  
  
"Okay." The man bagged the snoman and took the money. "Here you go! Have a nice day."  
  
"Right." Zim peered in the bag. He found a small bag of gelt. "What's this...? I didn't buy---"  
  
"It's okay." The man smled warmly. "Consider it my gift to you. If I don't see you again, I hope you have a Happy Hanukkah."  
  
"Oh..." Zim was unsure of how to react. "Th...thank you..." Zim walked outside to wait for Gir.  
  
The small android appeared a few minutes later. "Master, can I have my gift now?"  
  
"No, Gir. We must wait until sundown."  
  
"Ooo, when's that?"  
  
"Not until later."  
  
"Can we have lunch now?"  
  
"Lunch?" Zim frowned. "We'll eat at home. There's no WAY I'm eating any of this disgusting human food."  
  
Gir smiled. He had a special idea for lunch. "Ooooooooookaaaaaaaay!!"  
  
  
  
"Are you done yet, Gir?"  
  
"Almost!!"  
  
"That's what you said two hours ago..." Zim muttered. Gir said that he had found a special Hanukkah surprise that he wanted to try. Where he had found   
it, and how; Zim wasn't sure. But Gir had his little SIR-heart set on making a special snack, so Zim let him.  
  
20 minutes later, Gir came out covered in flour, carrying a tray of flat, browned food items. "It's done!!" he announced.  
  
Zim examined the platter. "Great, but what *is* 'it'?"  
  
Gir took a big bite out of one. "They're called 'latkies'."  
  
Zim picked one up and sniffed it curiously. He didn't gag. "They smell pretty good... what did you make them with?"  
  
"Potatoes!! They're potato pancakes!!" Gir swallowed the rest of his pancake and started running around the house. "POWER TO THE POTATOES!!!!"  
  
Zim shrugged and slowly took a little nible at the edges. "Hmm..." he chewed thoughtfully. "For a human concoction, it ain't half bad." He swallowed. "You  
know, Gir, you're a pretty good cook!" He took another bite, a larger one this itme.  
  
Gir fell from the ceiling onto his head, a big smile on his face. "Yay!! Master likes them!"  
  
Zim smiled. Gir may have been useless at times, but he kept Earth lively at least. "Yes, Gir. I like them."  
  
Zim smiled and leaned back onto the couch. The sky looked pretty right now, in the late afternoon. The clouds had an orange glow, the snow was tinted,  
almost as if the sun was setting...  
  
Zim sat up. The sun *was* setting!!  
  
"Ah! Gir, get over here!!"  
  
"Candles?"  
  
"Yes, it's time for the candles. Get your yarmulke."  
  
Zim put his own yarmulke on and knelt down. Gir sat next to him and listened while Zim quietly spoke a prayer.  
  
"Okay, that does it..." Zim stood up. "Now, for your gift, Gir."  
  
"Yay!" Gir went to retrieve his bag. "Okay, I got yours!!" He pulled out a little notebook. "For yoo!!"  
  
"Uhm... thanks, Gir..." Zim rotated the item in his hands, unsure of what it was. "Eh... tell me about it."  
  
"It's a diary!!"  
  
"A what?!"  
  
"A diary. You know, a book where you write your life story."  
  
"...Aren't those called 'autobiographies'?"  
  
"An auto-what?" Gir leaned over and gazed solemnly into Zim's eyes. "Master, you know that big words make my head explode."  
  
Zim sighed. "Nevermind, Gir. Just... uh..." Zim glanced around frantically for the bag, "Here's your gift!"  
  
Gir held the plush snowman as if it were a golden cupcake. Very gently, he cradled it his arms and smiled. "He's so cute... thanks, Master!" He ran off to   
play. "You're gonna have SOOOO much fun, Frosty! We can play with Pig, and Star, and Other Star..." Gir's voice faded as he went downstairs.  
  
Zim smiled at Gir as he ran off. "At least *he's* getting some enjoyment out of this time period." He fingered the book. "I already have a log to keep my  
records in..." He sighed again. "Who knows? Maybe I'll find another use for it. In the meantime..." He glanced at the menorah one last time, "Tommorow's  
another day!" 


	5. Day Five

(WHHHHEEEEE!!! I'm already up to chapter five!! And MiracleChick? I reely, REELY apprectiate all the help you gave me with this.)  
  
  
Happy Hanukkah Zim  
Chapter Five: Day Five  
  
  
Alas, skool was in session on this fifth day of Hanukkah. The "snow day" had ended, thanks to an interesting substance called "salt". Zim had watched  
it curiously as it melted through the snow and ice. He wondered if it melted humans too, but upon throwing some at the Dib-human, he found that it only   
annoyed him. Well, at least it had a purpose.  
  
Zim sat at his desk, bored out of his mind as Ms. Bitters once again droned on in her lecture of Doom. Normally, he thought that 'doom' was a rather  
interesting subject, but unless it involved the doom of the human race, he couldn't have cared less. Instead, the pessimestic teacher would lecture on  
the *eventual* doom of the entire universe. Nothing that the great Zim could use, that's for sure.  
  
/RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/  
  
The bell tolled the end of yet another time-consuming day of skool. Exhausted, Zim dragged his body outside, hoping that Dib wouldn't bother him.  
  
Of course, *that* didn't happen.  
  
"I know that you're up ot something Zim," Dib stated. "You might as well tell me."  
  
"I'm not doing anything right NOW," Zim commented in return.  
  
"You know what I'm talking about. Your plan."  
  
Zim growled. "I'm warning you, Dib. I don't have time to play your silly games. I have a purpose to fulfill." He glared at the other boy. "And I refuse to let  
you or ANYone interfere!!"  
  
Dib smirked. "C'mon, you don't think that celebrating our holidays is going to help you, do you? This *is* a *peaceful* season, remember?"  
  
"I'm being plenty peacful!"  
  
"Sure you are. Prove it."  
  
"I haven't hit you yet today."  
  
".........oh, yeah." Dib was beaten, and Zim knew it. Smilng smugly, he headed back to his base, hoping Gir hadn't destroyed the place.  
  
"Don't think you've won yet, Zim! I'll find out what you're trying to do!!" Dib called out.  
  
Zim turned around slowly, a menacing look on his face. "Tell me, stinkbeast, *why* are you so mad with the idea of me actually doing something nice?"  
He turned fast on his heel and walked off.  
  
Dib was taken aback. "I'm not mad!" He yelled after Zim's fading form. "I'm just--- oh, he's not even listening." Dib bit his lip. "Fine. Don't listen to what  
I have to say! It won't matter in the end anyway, when I see your guts strewn over an autopsy table!!" Fuming, Dib ran home.  
  
Zim cackled as he walked. "Foolish Dib... if only he knew that I'm not doing anything at all. It's wearing him out... hey!" Zim got an idea. "Make him think   
I'm up to something!" He smiled. "Maybe there's a use to celebrating this 'Hanukkah' after all."  
  
Gir pounced on Zim the minute he walked in the door. "MasterMasterMasterMasterMaster!!!!!"  
  
"What, Gir?"  
  
"It's horrible!! The worst thing!!"  
  
Zim pried Gir off his head, looking panicked. "What happened? What is it?!"  
  
"We're out of pancake mix!!"  
  
Zim twitched an eye. "...And?"  
  
Gir sniffled and lowered his head. "I can't make latkies tonight."  
  
"I didn't know you needed pancake mix to make latkies with."  
  
"I need the recipe for it, though. They always print a pancake recipe on the box."  
  
Zim sighed. He could sense where this conversation was going to lead, and decided to take a detour. "How about this, Gir," he said, setting the tiny  
andriod on the floor, "Put on your disguise and go get some more pancake mix. But hurry back, alright?! The sun goes down sooner and sooner each  
day!!"  
  
Gir instantly cheered up. "Okay!" he cried and ran off.  
  
Zim watched his rambunctious SIR unit head out the door. "A real pain at time, but... maybe I'll keep him. He's cute, anyway..." Bored, the Irken rose   
from his position on the couch and wlked to the bookshelf. He came across the diary that Gir had given him the previous night. Curious, he ruffled   
through it. No words, no pictures... "Maybe I should fix that..." Zim grabbed a pen off the side table and sketched a line across the paper. Soon, more  
lines appeared, and curves alongside them. After a few minutes of wild snickering, Zim leaned back and viewed his creation.  
  
It was a simple drawing, really, something that he could have drawn much better. Yet it was the value behind it that meant the most to Zim, as he had  
drawn a picture of *Dib* being cut apart. It made him feel good inside, like he was getting revenge... yes, the sweet flavor of revenge...  
  
Zim lay across the couch, propping himself up on one elbow, using his other hand to command the pen to his liking. After a few more minutes, another  
sketch came forth, displaying the Dib-human dangling helplessly over a pack of Blorchians. More snickers echoed through the halls of the vast base,  
and more and more drawings made their way into the world, each revealing a situation that Dib would not make it out of too quickly - if at all!  
  
Zim became so caught up in his pictures that he didn't hear Gir walking through the front door. "Master, shouldn't you be lighting the lights?"  
  
Zim's head shot up with a start. Behind the menorah, he could see the sun begining its steady descend behind the sity. He caught a quick glimpse of the  
clock; 4:26. Gir had been gone nearly an hour. Zim hopped up. "Right! I'm getting to that now. You grab the yarmulkes, Gir."   
  
Gir ran over to the couch and giggled. "I like your pictures, Master..."  
  
"Look at them later, Gir! We don't have much time!!" He readed the candle for lighting.  
  
"Yes, Sir!" The tiny one ran into the kitchen, re-appearing a moment later with the adequite headgear. "I got the hats!!"  
  
"Stop calling them 'hats', Gir! It's a yarmulke. 'Yam-uh-kah'. Got it?"  
  
"I got it!" Gir smiled and knelt down.  
  
Zim sighed and tried to clam himself. (Relax... it's already the fifth day. You CAN survive.) He took a deep breath, knelt down by Gir, and closed his   
eyes, speaking the words of the prayer.  
  
After it ended, Zim called Gir into the kitchen. He pulled the coins from the freezer, carefully protected from the danger of melting. "For you, Gir." He   
said. "Happy Fifth Day!"  
  
Gir said nothing as he took the gelt. (I forgot about the present!!) He dug through the bag of stuff that he had bought at the store. A few seconds later  
his hand emerged with a cup attatched to it. "I got chocolate bubblegum!"  
  
Zim turned purple at the sight of the thick slushie. He never felt more disgusted, but he couldn't hurt Gir's feelings!! "Erm... thanks Gir... I guess." He took  
a slooooooooooooooooow sip.  
  
Gir clapped his hands. "He likes it! YAY!" Gir swallowed the frozen coins whole, wrapper and all, then ran outside to play in the snow.  
  
Zim spit out the drink the minute Gir left his sight. "Ugh! How does he drink this stuff?" He wiped his mouth off and tossed the crushed icee into the trash  
pail, not remembering that it lead to his lab until *after* he had tossed it. "Oh, crud." Sighing, he followed the mess downstairs and decided to take care  
of it in the morning. 


	6. Day Six

Happy Hanukkah Zim  
Chapter Six: Day Six  
  
  
Zim hurried home after the skool bell rang. It was finally Friday, two whole days with no classes to deal with. ...Of course, that meant more time dealing  
with Dib, but he figured he could handle it.  
  
Turning the corner, Zim slowed his jog to an easy gait, thinking about the evening to come. He already had the tuna from a few nights ago... he should  
be all set!! Yet... he still had this unsettling feeling in his Irken equilivent to a stomach, and he couldn't place why.  
  
(The house *is* still intact... right?)  
  
No sense in taking chances. Zim sprinted down the block to his base. The house was there... slowly he stepped inside.  
  
Darkness. No sound whatsoever from anywhere in the vast hallways. It was the middle of the day!! Why was it so dark? Zim looked out the window.   
Were the shades pulled down? No... the sun was setting! "Already?! But I just got out of skool! It's only... 4:25?" Zim thought back and forgot that he   
stayed after for detention for putting mud in Dib's cafeteria food. Dib threw it at Zim, and they got into the foodfight of the century! "Well," Zim thought,  
"It was just a harmless experiment. If the humans can eat that repulsive junk they dare to call 'food', why wouldn't a dirt mixture be any different?"  
  
Zim sighed and glanced out the window again. "Where is Gir? If he's not back soon... Zim bit his lip. He grabbed the yamakahs to save time.  
  
Seconds later, Gir came charging through the mailslot. "I'M HOOOOOOOOMMMMMMEEEEEE!!!" He announced. Then he looked at Zim. "My hat!"  
  
"Your yamukah," Zim corrected, "Now put it on! You're late."  
  
"Sorry." Gir slipped the yamakah over his antannae. "I had to get your present!"  
  
Zim sighed again. "Thank you, Gir, but you're home all day! If you NEED to go out, set the auto- defenses, and leave! Other than that, you gotta stick   
around here.  
  
Gir sighed. "Oh fine." He grabbed the Shamish off its position on the menorah and lit the next candle. Then he hopped down from the windowsill and   
knelt down nest to Zim, head bowed in respect, optics off-line.  
  
Zim watched his SIR curiously. (Boy, he sure knows what he's doing, doesn't he?) His gaze shifted to the menorah, whose candles where shining  
beautifully against the night sky. He stared at them for a while.  
  
Gir nudged Zim gently. "Master, you have to say the words."  
  
Zim jumped at Gir's touch. "Oh! Oh, right." Zim mimicked Gir's position and let the nightly prayer flow through his lips.  
  
"Alright, Gir," Zim said as he finished, "Let's get your present."  
  
Gir hopped up and followed Zim into the kitchen. "Yay! I like presents!"  
  
Zim dug into the deeper shelves of his refrigerator and pulled out a few cans of Chompy brand tuna fish. Gir squealed. "Yay! It's Chompy!!" Gir hugged  
the tuna cans and started to sing the commercial song. "Chompy makes yummy tuna fish, Chompy answers my every wish, Chompy---"  
  
"Alright, Gir, that's enough!!" Zim sighed heavily. (At least I know he watches SOMEthing besides the Scary Monkey Show...)  
  
Gir grabbed a bag. "I found the PERFECT thing for you, Master..."  
  
Zim looked up with interest. "The 'perfect' thing?"  
  
"It took me a few hours to decide what to get..."  
  
(This should be good!)  
  
"...And I found something that no master should be without."  
  
Zim could hardly contain his excitement. "What is it?!"  
  
"It's... uh... HERE!" Gir pulled a tiny package from his bag.  
  
Zim snatched it up. "Lemme at it!!" He tore at the outer edge of the package of... "Scotch tape?"  
  
Gir nodded. "Yup. I knew that you would like it!!"  
  
Zim grimaced. "Why did you think I would like it?"  
  
"Because it's STICKYYYYYYYY!!!!" Gir unraveled a roll of tape and began sticking it everywhere, eventually falling down the garbage pail. "OOO!!  
There's sticky stuff down here, too!!" Zim heard a loud slurping noise. "CHOCOLATE BUBBLEGUM!!!!"  
  
Zim winced. He forgot that he threw the slurpee from last night into his lab. He groaned. "Computer," he called as the elevator descended downstairs,  
"Initiate cleansing process to laboratory entrance number four...  
  
  
_________  
It's short! I know; I'm sorry, but I had writers block with this chapter and with a fic like this where I'm on a deadline, I had to make it shorter in order to  
finish it on time. I'll make it up to you with tomorrow's chapter. I promise. And if Chompy Brand Tuna actually exists, I don't own it. If it doesn't, then I do.  
But anyone who wants to use it can. They don't even have to ask, because I really don't care about it!! Chompy is a green shark, for those who must  
know. 


	7. Day Seven

(WAIIII!! Again, I apologize for the shortness of chapter six. Here is the longer, fluffier chapter seven!! ::throws chapter at reader:: Remember, I no own!!)  
  
  
  
Happy Hanukkah Zim  
Chapter Seven: Day Seven [Do you notice a pattern with these chapter titles?]  
  
  
Zim walked cautiously through the sity, trying his hardest not to accidentally bump into one of the other pedestrians. He shuffled around the block, hoping  
to find the perfect present.   
  
"But why?" Zim asked himself. "Why would I care to get a good gift? I'm only 'celebrating' this horrible human tradition to fit in! *Why* do I feel a... pang  
of... something I've never felt before...?"  
  
"I dunno. Did you eat the meatloaf yesterday?"  
  
Zim turned around, startled. Behind him was Gaz, staring at him calmly, yet she looked ready to explode. "AH! Human! What do you want?!"  
  
Gaz sighed. "I need more batteries, and you're standing in my way."  
  
Zim, knowing better that to infuriate the Gaz-person, stepped aside and let her pass. Gaz pulled the door open and leaned over to speak. "By the way,  
Zim, Dib told me about the whole Hanukkah thing. If you need a good gift, get a GameSlave. That should be the perfect present for anyone." She   
ducked behind the door.  
  
Zim considered this. "A GameSlave...? No, Gir would probably break it or use it for some stupid... thing. But perhaps the toy store would be a decent   
place to begin my search."  
  
And so the toy store it was.  
  
It was a world of wonderous colours, vast aisles, and mobs upon mobs of people trying to get through. Zim shoved his way through the crowd,   
eventually finding it most effective to run between their legs. (Hmm... maybe on this planet, being vertically challenged is a good thing!) Zim eventually  
found an aisle that was clear of people.  
  
He soon discovered why.  
  
For lo and behold, Zim just stepped into the little kids section. Dozens of boxes lined the shelves, yet to be claimed by the last-minute shoppers. Zim  
scoffed. "Why is *this* aisle not so..." full of people?" He wondered what would have been driving them away. He cautiously shook a package of a purple  
dinosaur that had green fuzzy spots. "Hmm... 'Bar-nee'? What's this?" he asked as he shook. It started to sing at him. "I love you, you love me..."  
  
Zim screamed and *threw* the box back onto the shelf. Soon, the entire side of the aisle was singing out a whiny love song. Whimpering softly, he made   
his way down the winding hall, to find creatures of red, yellow, green, and purple, and more items of blue, magenta, and red with balck trim.   
  
He examined the first group. " 'Tell-uh-tubb-ees'. I wonder what this does."  
  
The box he had been holding started to talk in complete gibberish, then he heard the sound of a baby laughing. "Nooooo!! Noogums is after me again!!"  
He tossed the box aside and backed into a red box with a blue thing inside. It started to hop, box and all.  
  
"AHHHH!!! The toys are after me!!" He ran screaming through the store, only to run into a small group of women.  
  
"Hey hey, young man," One woman coaxed, "What's the matter with you?"  
  
Zim answered in a flurry of gestures. "It was.... the dino-whatchmacallit and the tummy TV things, and then there was the blue, oh, the horror! THE   
BLUE---!"   
  
"That's great, son, but what are you talking about?"  
  
"IT'S THE SINGING BARNEY, THE TELLETUBBIES, AND THE CLUES OF BLUE!!!!!"  
  
The whole store went silent. You could hear a pin drop...  
  
...before the crowd went ballistic, I mean.  
  
"A singing Barney? Where?!"  
  
"Oh, those clues of Blue are adorable, aren't they?"  
  
"Grab one for me, Eva!"  
  
"Way ahead of you, dear!"  
  
Zim looked around in a panic. The mothers had cornered him. No wonder they liked the toys!! Thinking fast, he squirmed and wrestled his way through  
the mob of screaming women and made it into an aisle that was completely pink. "What the... 'Bar-bee'? Ahh! They make *dolls* of themselves??? How  
sick can you get?! The last thing I need is more humans, even *if* they're made of plastic!!" Panicked, Zim launched himself over the crowd using his  
mechanical appendages as a spring, and landed amidst a flurry of toys, candies, and art supplies.  
  
An art kit landed at Zim's feet. He snatched it up. It was a compact set composed of markers, crayons, colored pencils, paints, stencils, a pencil, an  
eraser, and even some paper. "This is IT!" Zim cried. "The perfect gift for Gir. It doesn't make any noises, it doesn't move, and it'll keep him out of my  
antannae for hours!" Zim tucked the kit neatly under one arm and marched to the register. (Plus, he won't break it right away!!)  
  
At long last satisfied, Zm was ready to spend the rest of his day relaxing.  
  
  
  
"Gir, I'm home!!"  
  
"Yay! The latkies are ready!!"  
  
Zim slipped off his wig. "You made lunch again?" He walked into the kitchen.  
  
Gir was standing on a chair next to the stove, wearing an apron that was twenty sizes too big for him, standing over a pan. "Yup. It's fun!!"  
  
Zim though for a moment. (Gir *likes* to make food, which isn't bad food either, and he did it without me telling him to...) "Well, Gir, because you like  
concocting these... 'latkies', you may feel free to make them as you please."  
  
"YAY!!" Gir jumped onto Zim's head. "Thank you!!!" He screamed. "I... I love you..."  
  
"G-g-great, Gir. J-just get off of m-m-my head!!"   
  
Gir jumped down.  
  
"Listen, Gir, I've had a very tiring day. I had to go all across the sity to find the right gift."  
  
Gir stopped. He hadn't gotten a gift for Zim yet today. Well... there was still time, right? "Oh... okay. Uhm... the latkies are ready!!"  
  
"I know, Gir. You told me that when I got inside."  
  
"Oh, yeaahhhh..." Gir dropped the hot plate into Zim's lap and ran for his costume.  
  
Zim screeched in pain. "AHHH!!! IT'S HOT!! Gir, what are you doing?!"  
  
Gir slipped the top of his dog suit over his head. "I gotta go get stuff. Byeeeeeeeeee..." Gir's voice faded as he ran out the door.  
  
Zim sighed and took another bite from his latkie. "What am I going to do with him?"  
  
  
  
Several hours passed by, and Gir was still out somewhere. Zim didn't understand; there was nothing on this mudball that he actually wanted besides  
total control, and Gir couldn't give him that!!  
  
"...could he?"  
  
+SLAM!!+  
  
"I'm home!" a voice chirped out.  
  
Zim ran out into the living room, yarmulkes in hand. "Gir!! Where have you been?! I've been worried sick about you!!" He scolded.  
  
Gir lowered his head. "I know... I tried to to get the best gift for you..."  
  
Zim shook his head. "Whatever. Here. Just get ready. We're pressed for time, and your not helping our situation."  
  
Gir sighed. "Master, I think you're being too dramatic." He slipped on his yarmulke and lit the next candle. "See? We're right on... 'sked-gee-yule'." He  
shrugged and placed the Shamish back in its proper slot.  
  
Zim spoke the nightly candle-lighting prayer and stood up. "Alright, Gir," he said very tiredly, "Let's do the presents." He retrieved the art kit and gave it  
to the over-eager android. "I got this for you."  
  
Gir's eyes grew wide. "Wow... it's so beautiful..."  
  
Zim sighed. Tha kit *was* a good idea. He was already being wuiet - the package alone was enough to enthrall him. He turned away.  
  
"Wait, Master! You forgot about YOUR pwesent!!"  
  
A groan. "Okay, Gir. Thrill me."  
  
Gir pulled Keef out of nowhere. Zim screamed in shock. "AHH!! I thought the squirrel was your demise!" He backed away nervously.  
  
"Heya, ZIm!" Keef cried enthusiastically. "Did'ya miss me?"  
  
Zim panicked. "Computer! Open escape route four for room 3, level one!" The left window opened, and Zim grabbed Keef and tossed him out. "What's  
wrong? You don't like waaaaafffffllllllllleeeeeesss..." his voice faded, and the window slammed shut.  
  
Gir eyes Zim warily, who who was breathing heavily. Slowly, very slowly, he turned around at Gir. "This is the turning point, *Gir*. I have had ENOUGH of  
you and these 'perfect' gifts you've bought for me!! I don't know even why I decided to do this in the first place! All it's doing is annoying me! WELL, I'VE  
HAD IT!!" Zim picked his diary up from the table and threw it across the room. He turned to Gir again. "I'll be in my lab, trying to recover from this world  
of nightmares that this... 'Hanukkah' has put me through. I'll be there if you need me, but if you really *are* advanced, Gir, you'll make sure that you don't  
need me!!" Zim turned on his heel and huffed his way to the elevator.  
  
For a whole minute, silence. Gir was stunned. He clutched his yarmulka to his chestplate. Master was unhappy? He didn't like it? (He doesn't like it... but  
I thought...) ... I though he wanted a friend..."  
  
Gir clicked his feet softly to the couch and sat down, pulling his knees up. He stared the the menorah. Usually that helped him relax, but for some reason  
it didn't do anything for his spirit. He watched the candelabra grow blurry as his optics welled up and and quietly shut off for the night. 


	8. Day Eight

(Kwik author's note: There will one final chapter after this one.)  
  
  
  
Happy Hanukkah Zim  
Chapter Eight: Day Eight  
  
  
Zim awoke on the eigth day of Hanukkah feeling quite pleased. There was no skool today, which means that he had more time to observe the ways of  
human life and, hopefully, find a flaw in their so-called "society". He hoisted himself up out of his stasis chamber, dressed, and went upstairs.  
  
After a fast meal, Zim donned his wig and conctacts. As he approached the door, he called out, "I'm going out, Gir. Stay here to gruad the house."  
  
Silence. No sound from anything, anywhere. "Gir, I said---"  
  
"I hear you, Master..." called a sad voice from the kitchen.  
  
Zim frowned. Why was he... oh, yes. The Keef thing from last night. Zim shook the pangs of guilt off anf headed out the door.  
  
For about ten minutes after the door shut, the entire base was completely silent. Eventually, the sound of light metallic tapping was heard on the first  
level. Gir stuck his head out from behind the wall and looked around. "He's gone..." he observed.  
  
Relieved, Gir went to retrieve his art kit. Now he could work in peace.  
  
  
  
Zim came storming home, ticked beyond belief, coveren in mud. "Dib... why can't he just leave me alone! It's not like I even want to do anything to him...   
except torment him to the end of time." He smiled and started to cackle. "Oo, that's good..."  
  
+SLAM+  
  
"I'm home, Gir!"  
  
"Okay!"  
  
Zim stood still, practically unbreathing, as he analyzed the situation at hand. Gir hadn't broken anything, hadn't attemped to bake/cook anything, nor did  
he attatch himself to ZIm's head when he arrived inside. (I don't get it...) Zim thought. (I've yelled at him plenty of times before and he's NEVER acted   
like this!) "What are you doing, Gir?"  
  
There was an unsettling silence in response, as if Gir was thinking abut wheter he should tell Zim or not. "...nothing..." he replied after much hesitation.  
  
Zim shrugged it off, and settled in front of the TV to channelsurf, to settle on the "All Lick-a-Stick station". Zim was facinated by the process at which   
these human treats were made. Maybe... "Maybe I *shouldn't* enslave *those* workers... they'd make the candy for me anyway!! Hahahahaha!!!" Zim  
sighed and decided to head downstairs into his lab before the next candlelighting.  
  
He marched into the kitchen, stopping before his trachcan entrance. Gir was somewhere in this room, but where? He opened the lid, and turned when  
he heard a foreign noise entering the silent chasm that was his kitchen,  
  
A single red crayon was rolling across the floor from behind the fridge. Gir snapped his hand out to grab it and ducked back into his hiding place. Zim  
was intrigued, but decided that he had more important things to take care of and went downstairs.  
  
  
  
Leather-clad talons flew over the keyboard in record time, completing the long-awaiting updating Invaders Log that Zim had been neglecting for so long.  
"Hanukkah.. hah! 'Season of Light' indeed," He mocked as he typed. "More like a 'Season of Wasting My Time'!"  
  
Behind him, Zim could hear the whirring of the elevator, indicating a visitor. He sighed and continued to type. "What is is, Gir?" he asked without looking  
up.  
  
"..."  
  
Zim paused at his updating and turned to his SIR-unit. "Gir, I'm very busy. What do you need?"  
  
Gir stood at the elevator base with his head down, hands behind his back. He was holding something, but Zim couldn't see what. He slowly clicked his  
way over to his master and stood, head still down, without saying a single word.  
  
Zim folded his arms. "I'm serious, Gir. I've fallen behind in my work! I don't have time to waste."  
  
"..."  
  
"Gir, quit standing there! What do you need?"  
  
"..."  
  
"GIR! What is it? Is it that 'Hanukkah' thing again, Gir? Is that it? Do you have another 'gift' for me? I swear, I don't know why---"  
  
Gir cut him off by pulling a piece of paper from behind his back. He held it out for Zim who, in turn, took it from him.  
  
It was a drawing, not a great one, but a drawing nonetheless, of Zim and Gir, standing side by side, smiling. It was a sunny scene, outlined in a red   
heart. Written at the top in bold black was:  
  
~*~I'M SOREE~*~  
  
Zim kept glancing back and forth from the picture to Gir. It was just a crayon sketch... why did he feel so... bad? (I've been so mean to Gir... that's why   
he's still sad! I hate to admit it, but Dib was right. This *is* supposed to be a peaceful time.. and me, being the Irken miser of Hanukkah...)  
  
It was here that Zim realized that he never found the perfect gift for Gir. He had it in his possesion, but he never found it. Right then and there, he   
uncovered the secret to the little robot's heart - a friend. Gir didn't need cupcakes or latkies, he needed a friend.  
  
And when Zim though about it, he needed one too.  
  
Gir kept his head low, listening for what his master was going to say. When he heard nothing, he broke inside. (Master doesn't like it... I should've   
known...) He started to turn away.  
  
Zim looked up to see Gir turn around to go back upstairs. Instantly he dashed forward and squeezed the android up in a hug.  
  
Gir sqealed, half in shock, half in delight. Zim had caught him by surprise, alright, and Gir luved every second of it. "No, Gir. I'm thoe one who should  
be sorry."  
  
Gir looked up. "But why? I'm the one who got you mad... I ruined everything!!" His optics flooed again.  
  
Zim sighed. "Gir, listen. You didn't do anything wrong. I got so caught up with the material wa\ealth, that I never bothered to realize *why* the humans  
celabrate Hanukkah. They do it to rejoice in their freedom and to spread hope... you we're going that. I wasn't. I was just being the same pushy Invader  
that I always am."  
  
Gir squeezed Zim. "But I like you that way."  
  
"Oh, Gir..." Zim smiled. "Okay, enough of this mush. We have some candles to light, right?"  
  
Gir hopped down from Zim's grasp. "YAY! I get my ha--- erm.. 'YAH-MUH-KAH' to wear." He smiled at Zim.  
  
Zim put his hands on his hips. "Go get the hats, Gir."  
  
Gir giggled and waited for Zim to get in the elevator. They climbed to the house level and prepared for the candlelighting...  
  
Together. 


	9. Epilogue

Happy Hanukkah Zim  
Epilogue  
  
  
"I'm gonna tickle you..."  
  
"Nononono!! Gir! Stop it!! Ahahaha!!"  
  
"Tee-hee, Master's ticklish in his tummy!! Hmm... I wonder about the feet..."  
  
"Don't you dare!!"  
  
"Tickletickletickle!!"  
  
Zim laughed harder than he had ever laughed before. "Okay!! Okay! You win, Gir."  
  
Gir smiled and retrieved Zim's boot. "I like to tickle you."  
  
Zim laughed again. It was a week later from the whole picture scene; Zim hung it on his wall over the menorah. Two of the candles had already burnt out,  
but they weren't exactly high quality, and they had served their purpose at least. Besides, Zim had more important matters to be concerned with - his  
newfound friend Gir.  
  
With a peacful sigh, Zim got up and walked over to the window. It was Christmas Eve, the day before Dib's holiday. Zim was so tied up with Hanukkah  
he forgot about the other holidays. That was fine; Hanukkah was fun.   
  
The snow was falling outside, and it looked to irresistable against the evening sky. "Gir, let's play outside, okay?"  
  
"YAY!!" Gir ran to get his puppy attire while Zim donned the disguise of his own.  
  
  
  
Outside, the world was beautiful.  
  
Zim actually wanted to go into the qoutdooor air. (It must be the holiday spirit getting to me...) he thought. No matter, he was still on his toes. For now, he  
just wanted to try and enjoy Earth. It was, after all, his home.  
  
After making dozens of snow angels, Gir wanted to run off some excess energy, so Zim walked him to the park. ...Erm... maybe I should say, Gir dragged  
Zim to the park. It was all in good fun, though, and Zim was smiling when they got there.  
  
Zim sat down on a park bench and let Gir play in the snow, usually opting to roll down the hill. Sighing, he inhaled the air deeply, and exhaled heavily,  
getting the flow in his system.  
  
Across the park, Zim spotted his ever-lasting rival, Dib. Strangely enough, he smiled.  
  
Dib saw this and nearly fell over. Zim? Smiling at *him*? What was wrong with this picture?  
  
Then something else happened. ZIm *waved* at Dib, and he said something. Dib squinted and tried to read his lips. "Hop... hap? Happy? What? What  
is he trying to say... Happy... 'holl-eh-dayz'?"  
  
(There,) Zim thought. He said it, and it strangely made him feel good inside. Happy Holidays. No matter what holaday was celebrated, he wanted the  
world to be happy. That would make ruling the dirtball all the more sweeter!  
  
Zim smirked at the thought. No, for now he would set the domination plan aside, and try to have the Happiest Holiday of all.  
  
______________________  
Happy Hanukkah, Everybody. 


End file.
